As we settle into winter, there’s a risk of getting a bit bored with the string of brown ales, porters, and stouts that seem to populate a lot of tap lists this time of year. If you ever find yourself in that position, turn to a Belgian. As luck would have it, Belgians offer a nice dark-ish ale of their own in the Abbey ale family. Now’s the time to brew up a Belgian Dubbel.
I made my first after being handed some Belgian dark candi syrup as a prize from a competition, and it wasn’t something I’d have ever picked up on my own; the organizer just grabbed something at random to throw in with my prizes. Still, it made an excellent beer, and my very first (award-winning) Dubbel earned its name: Dumb Luck Dubbel.
Style
Abbey beers are that family of beers originally brewed by monks dating back to the Middle Ages, we suspect, but certainly a common feature of monastic brewing from the 19th century forward. Dubbel is a medium-strength amber/brown ale that serves as a great platform for lots of fantastic malt flavors and fermentation characteristics (along with, as we’ll see, some supporting herbal/earthy hops). Dark fruit, burnt sugar, citrus esters, clove, a touch of banana, and more all feature in what ends up being a surprisingly dry beer. The trick (there’s always a trick, isn’t there?) is to avoid going overboard and yielding something too sweet, too alcoholic, or too…Belgian. When this style goes bad, it’s hard to drink—cloying, muddled, and hot. It’s enough to make the monks weep. With a bit of care, though, yours will have them singing instead!